Some recent Observations on the Biology 
of Roridula. 
BY 
R. MARLOTH, Ph.D., M.A. 
With a Figure in the Text. 
MONG the various plants which possess a special interest 
dTx. to the biologist there are hardly any of greater impor- 
tance than the insectivorous plants. Belonging to several 
widely different natural orders, they are spread over all five 
continents, occurring in the forests of the tropics as well as in 
the tundra of the arctic regions, in the marshes near the shore 
of the sea as well as on the cloud-capped summits of the 
mountains. 
South Africa possesses two genera of insectivorous plants, 
both belonging to the natural order Droseraceae, viz. Drosera 
and Roridula. While the European species of sundews are 
tiny plants with radical leaves and inconspicuous little white 
flowers, some of the South African species develop stalks 
nearly a foot high and bear large handsomely coloured flowers. 
Unique in its structure, however, is the other genus, viz. 
Roridula, for while all other Droseraceae are small herbs only, 
Roridula forms shrubs. There are two species only in exist- 
ence, no other shrubby Droseraceous plant being known. 
These two species are R. dentata , L. and R. Gorgonias PL, 
which differ in their leaves as well as in the size of the plants, 
l Annals of Botany, Vol. XVII. No. LXV. January, 1903.] 
